


I'll Always Come For You

by McKennaSevrin



Series: Forever in Your Debt. [4]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-03-09 02:41:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13471974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McKennaSevrin/pseuds/McKennaSevrin
Summary: I posted without proof reading so apologies for any mistakes. I'll check for them when I'm back from vacation but I wanted to get this finished.





	I'll Always Come For You

**Author's Note:**

> I posted without proof reading so apologies for any mistakes. I'll check for them when I'm back from vacation but I wanted to get this finished.

John wasn’t sure what had caused him to wake up but he quickly took in his surroundings before moving. The light coming through the window told him morning was still several hours away. There were no out of the ordinary sounds, no dogs barking or alarms going off. Most importantly, Rodney was curled up at his side. This assessment only took a couple of seconds and John was fairly used to it by now. A man of his wealth didn’t just assume everything was copacetic when unnaturally awakened in the middle of the night, even if he did have 24/7 security. Then Rodney stirred and a soft whimper escaped and John knew what had awakened him.

Rodney was prone to bad dreams. Some nights they morphed into full-on nightmares but when his unconscious mind was filled with disturbing images he would reach for John in his sleep. Usually just John’s arms settling around him or his hand rubbing circles on his back would calm him and the dreams would fade, either into nothing or into something more pleasant but when John was awake enough he could actually feel the moment the tension and fear bled away as Rodney would sigh and melt against him.

John rolled from his back onto his side as Rodney curled into his chest and he heard the word, “no” whispered. Not quite a nightmare then but still a bad one. It still clenched his gut, knowing the cause of Rodney’s distress and he pulled his lover to him. He stroked the other mans back and lightly kissed his forehead. “It’s ok.” John whispered not wanting to wake Rodney. “I’m here”. It wasn’t long before John felt the sigh Rodney released against his neck and felt his body lose it’s tension as Rodney fell into a more relaxed sleep. John breathed out a sigh of relief, closed his eyes and joined him.

*~*

John was stepping out of the shower just as Rodney finished shaving. 

“So, today’s the big day?” John toweled off knowing Rodney’s eyes had moved from the mirror to him and he couldn’t help but smile as he made his movements slightly seductive. 

“Ah, yeah.” He said, his mind going blank for a moment as he watched John. Rodney had slotted right into John’s life after John had rescued him from Kolya. After his ordeal with Kolya in the brothel, John had been patient with him, not pushing for a physical relationship right away despite their mutual attraction. When Rodney was ready, he knocked on John’s bedroom door one night and he hasn’t left John’s bed since. They spent the last year learning each other and developing a deep seeded love. Marriage had been discussed recently but John had already done everything he could to legally make Rodney his from power of attorney to amending his will to leave his entire estate and business to Rodney should anything happen before they could be legally married. John’s corporation, Atlantis Corp, had multiple divisions and once Rodney showed John his knowledge and education in physics and engineering he immediately put Rodney in charge of Research and Development and gave him free reign of the department. With Rodney in charge and working closely with Radek, the employee John had been considering for the position before he’d met Rodney, the two had made incredible leaps and bounds in new technology and inventions to the point of even catching the eyes and ears of the military. Contracts were coming in from all over but the one at the top of the pile was the shielding technology for military aircraft they had designed and were in the middle of the bid process with the US Government. Today the board was hearing the report and voting on its future. 

None of that was on Rodney’s mind at the moment though John could see, as evidenced by the way Rodney’s boxers were tenting as his eyes slid up and down his lover’s still slightly damp body. John dropped the towel and crowded Rodney against the vanity, his hands sliding up and down Rodney’s arms before gripping them tightly as he bent his head to take his mouth roughly. Rodney moaned into John’s mouth when he felt John’s own growing erection rubbing against his boxers. Pulling away John returned the look Rodney had been giving him as his eyes roamed down his lovers bare chest to boxers that were suddenly in the way of his goal. Hooking his fingers into the waistband, John quickly stripped Rodney and dropped to his knees. Rodney’s eyes were wide as John met them with a gleam in his own. 

“I think I know how to relax you.” John smiled up before turning his attention to the hard cock in front of him. Gripping Rodney’s thighs he pushed them apart. 

Rodney gripped the edge of the vanity when his legs were spread so suddenly and he found his cock encased in John’s incredibly hot mouth. He couldn’t help but drop his head back and gasp as John worked up and down his shaft. Rodney barely noticed when one of John’s hands released his thigh but he certainly took notice when his balls were suddenly caressed and a finger moved to push slightly inside his opening. Without lube all John could do was tease but between John finger fucking his ass and sucking his dick down his throat Rodney found himself coming hard, his head thrown back and gasping as John swallowed every drop. When the aftershocks subsided Rodney, still panting after his release, looked down at John who was still on his knees between his thighs. His eyes went to John’s still hard cock and he was about to drop to his own knees and reciprocate when John smiled up at him and Rodney saw John’s breathing was short and shallow too. He watched John move his hand to his own cock and give it two tugs before throwing his own head back and coming on the floor between Rodney’s feet. 

Oh, Rodney thought, it was so hot that John came that quickly from his own hand just from giving Rodney a blow job. It was almost enough to make him hard again. 

John reached for the towel on the floor beside him and stood. Without breaking eye contact with his lover, he reached behind him and turned the water on, soaking part of the towel before gently cleaning Rodney’s dick with it as he leaned in and kissed the man sweetly. 

“You are the sexiest sight I have ever seen.” Rodney told him when John released his lips. John set the towel on the counter before his lover ended up hard again and nuzzled Rodney’s neck. Rodney’s hands went around to John’s muscular back and tightened. “Will you fuck me when we get home? Please? If we had time now I would…” John stopped Rodney’s description with his mouth, all but fucking it with his tongue to silence the man because if he’d let him go on, John wouldn’t be able to stop himself from pushing Rodney down on the bed in the next room and burying himself in that perfect ass and they both had to be in top condition for today’s board meeting. 

“I absolutely plan to fuck you tonight.” John promised when he released him again. “Go get dressed and I’ll clean up in here.” 

Rodney pressed a kiss to John’s chest and with a smile, padded naked out of the master bath to put on the suit he had laid out. John smiled as he watched him go and, thinking of the rings he had hidden in the nightstand, he had a feeling the day was going to go perfectly for them both. 

*~*

The car service from Atlantis Corp arrived several minutes late and Rodney was ready to rip the driver a new one. They normally rode to work together unless John had an early morning meeting but Rodney had planned on a little side trip for his ride home and wanted to surprise John. There was a bakery that John absolutely loved and if today went as Rodney hoped, there would be celebrating tonight. He’d already instructed their chef on what to make for dinner but dessert would be served in their master suite and Rodney was already half hard just imagining the chocolate mousse he planned to lick off of John. His fantasy was cut short as the driver pulled around to the front where Rodney was waiting, briefcase in one hand as he brought his watch up to look at the time in an exaggerated manor. 

“It’s about time.” Rodney glowered at the driver as he watched the man hop out and move around to open the back door for him. 

“Sorry sir.” The driver was talking about an accident on the freeway or something but Rodney had already tuned him out. “Yeah, yeah whatever. Put the classical station on would you?” Pulling his phone out he began checking emails. It was his preferred time to go through them as he hated traffic and ranting at the people under him distracted him from having to look at it. It usually only took about 10 or 12 emails before he was at the office so when he’d finished his 15th, one from Radek about today’s meeting, Rodney noticed the route they were taking was different. 

“Why are we on this street? This will take an extra 15 minutes and you were already late today!” Rodney bellowed at the driver. 

“The accident on the highway, sir. I thought going this way would avoid an even longer delay.” 

Rodney sighed and composed a text to Radek that he would be late and then sat back to delve into more of his emails. 

 

*~*

 

John entered the board meeting and went straight for the coffee service that had been set up. A glance around the room told him that Rodney hadn’t arrived yet although Radek was here so he made a cup for his lover as well, just the way he liked it. Moving to the head of the table John set the cup down in Rodney’s spot, sat down and began browsing though the proposal folder. He was partially through the first part when Radek sat in the space next to Rodney’s, his own cup of coffee in hand and a tablet in the other. 

“Rodney is not here yet?” Radek inquired as he took a sip and then set his cup down to reach for the tablet. “I had hoped to go over a few things before the meeting.” 

Johns head snapped up sharp at that. “You didn’t see him down in R&D earlier? He made a point of telling me that was his first stop when he got in today.” 

Radek looked up from his tablet and pushed his glasses further up on his face. “No. I got text saying he would be late and email’s that he likes to send during his ride in but I did not expect he would be this late.” Radek pulled out his phone and muttered to himself in his native Czech as he searched through his phone for any other messages from his friend and colleague.

John pulled his phone out as well and with a frown checked his own texts. Seeing nothing recent from Rodney he dialed the R&D department.

“Cadman, have you seen Rodney this morning?” John was starting to get a feeling in his gut that he didn’t like and it showed to everyone in the room. Radek moved nearby to hear the conversation between John and Laura, the security detail for the R&D department. 

_”Sorry boss, I haven’t. I’ll check the logs though if you hold on a sec.”_ John could hear the keys on the computer on her end of the phone. A glance at Radek didn’t help the feeling in John’s gut. The man looked entirely too concerned. They both knew that if Rodney were this late John would have heard from him by now. 

_”No, his card hasn’t been swiped today. Not the main department or for his private office and…”_ She paused and John heard the keyboard again. _”Same with the main entrance. He’s not been in yet.”_

John didn’t like this one bit but he also didn’t want to raise the alarm publicly yet. Seeing all eyes on him he relaxed his posture. “Thanks Laura, when you see him would you do me a favor and haul his ass up here to the boardroom personally?” Grinning at something she said he disconnected the call. “Gentlemen, McKay hit traffic and will be late. Let’s reschedule this for after lunch, feel free to enjoy the gym or the atrium in the meantime.” John leveled a look at Radek and quietly said, “My office.” Before turning to leave the boardroom. 

He didn’t hear many complaints even though many of the board members were here specifically for this meeting. Those who didn’t have offices in the building frequently visited to use the gym, which included a full sized pool, sauna and spas, or eat in the atrium cafeteria when they were in town. When it came to working conditions, Atlantis Corp out did Google on employee perks by leaps and bounds. 

 

Radek followed his boss to his private office. They were both on their phones as they entered the elevator. Radek, calling his department and demanding to know who had swiped in for the day and John calling his head of security and requesting she meet him in his office. When the elevator door opened, Teyla, head of security for Atlantis Corp was already waiting by John’s receptionists desk, chatting quietly with her. The tension John had tried to hide from the board members was back and obviously visible as he saw Teyla’s reaction to him. When Teyla went on alert she looked like a warrior princess almost. As a martial arts instructor during her down time, she was fit and toned. She wore no obvious uniform and John knew that in addition to her side arm she also had access to at least two knives that she wore, somewhere on her, at all times. Her caramel brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and wisps of hair framed her face. John saw her eyes sweep the two men and settle back on John as if to ask where Rodney was. John knew how much Teyla adored Rodney. Even when he was snapping at people she would offer him an indulgent smile. She was the one person John trusted without reservation when he felt Rodney needed security.

Key cards were used to access all sensitive areas in the building including John and Rodney’s offices and various departments. Research and Development had the highest security and only John, Rodney and Teyla had key cards that allowed access to all locations. John swiped his and tried not to think of all the reasons Rodney’s hadn’t been used yet today. If there was anything he could do over again, he thought, it would be insisting that they rode in to work together. But now wasn’t the time for that, John thought. 

“What is going on, John?” Teyla laid her hand on his arm and the touch centered him a little. 

“Rodney may be missing.” John pulled his phone out as Teyla gasped. Looking up he addressed Radek, “Has there been any unusual activity in your department?” 

John pulled up an app on his phone as he waited for Radek's response. “Only cards swiped besides mine are Cadman, Lee, and Simpson.” 

Looking up from his phone he saw that Teyla was already in sync with him. Both he and Teyla were able to track Rodney’s location on their phones. She was the only one of his security detail that he trusted with that and right now he was very thankful she appeared to be of the same mindset as him and John knew she would do anything for Rodney. 

“15th street.” Teyla said just as Johns phone was showing him the same thing. “It appears to be…” she trailed off as she adjusted the screen to see the street view. “A warehouse of some sort. Does Atlantis have any property in that location?”

John was looking at the pinging dot that represented the man he loved. “No. We have no holdings in that part of the city. So either Rodney is there..” 

“Or his phone is.” Teyla interrupted sadly. “I will put together a team, John. We will check it out.” She assured him.

“I’m going with you.” John said pulling his key out to pull his own gun out from its locked location. “But no team, not yet. You and I can check it out first. I don’t want this making the news just yet and we’ll involve law enforcement when we need to…”

Just then Bill Lee burst into the office, courtesy of John’s receptionist, frantic and wide eyed. 

“It’s missing!”

 

*~*

 

He was dumped unceremoniously onto a rather hard floor and couldn’t even break the fall with his hands tied behind his back. He lay there breathing hard, or trying to as the gag had a rather large knot in it and his jaw was aching around it. Unable to see his surroundings he tried to move into a position that felt less vulnerable but he couldn’t bring his knees up very far with the ropes on his ankles. He waited, panting hard and hoping he wouldn’t hyperventilate, for something to happen and prayed it wasn’t going to be a beating. He didn’t think they’d hit him yet even though he ached everywhere and he was losing feeling in his arms but when he woke up in what he learned was the trunk of a car, he struggled as much as he could. Being yanked out and dragged by his arms between two men didn’t help much either. There was a tingling all over his body and he had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly why. He hoped John had made it to work and he wouldn’t find him in the same position if they took off his blindfold. He did know there was no one else in that trunk with him. He listened to see if there was anyone else in the room, trying to tell what type of room it was and how large but other than the slamming of the door after they dropped him there was nothing. 

He focused on calming his breathing down. It wouldn’t help if he hyperventilated himself into a blackout and getting his breathing under control would slow his pounding heart. The rushing in his ears subsided as his heart rate lowered and he found he could hear some small muffled noises. Someone walking, a muted voice and another answering it. Nothing sounded like John nor did it sound like there was anyone similarly restrained in the room with him. He held onto the idea that John was safe because if John was out there he had a chance. He realized that most likely he’d been taken for a reason that would likely include John at some point. Maybe a ransom? Or to trade him for proprietary tech that he was developing at Atlantis Corp? That tingling could only come from one thing: the stun weapon he and Radek had developed with law enforcement in mind. The sick feeling in his stomach was back because if someone else had it and used it on him, then there was someone, or maybe several someones, within his department that couldn’t be trusted. 

_’Great. Just great.’_

_’OK… calm down McKay.’_ he thought. He had to remind himself that he was alive. They obviously needed him, either as leverage against John or, if the stun technology was what they wanted, maybe they wanted his knowledge and expertise. Either way he knew he needed to calm down, survive this and wait for either a chance to escape or rescue. He tugged at his bonds, feeling the roughness of the ropes on his wrists but it was futile. He wasn’t going anywhere until someone released him. With a sigh he dropped his head to the floor and waited. 

 

*~*

The car ride to the warehouse where Rodney’s phone was signaling from was tense and Teyla could see that John was practically grinding his teeth with anger and worry. Bill Lee, one of Rodney’s scientists in his department had informed John that one of the weapons Rodney had been developing with Radek had gone missing. Lee had planned on running a series of tests on the working prototype that morning, per Radek’s instructions, but when he entered the safe room where tech was locked away, it was neatly gone from its securely locked cabinet. No evidence of a break-in according to Cadman when she had a look at the room. She forwarded John, Teyla and Radek a list of whose key cards had been swiped for the door that day. It wasn’t very helpful as the only swipes were Radek, Lee and Simpson all of whom where in the department currently. Miko was only one other person with access and she’s been on maternity leave for the last month. Rodney didn’t allow camera surveillance in his department because they were a hacking risk and the camera outside of the main entrance to the department didn’t show anything unusual. John was turning this all over in his mind and the conclusion he was quickly coming to was not pretty. Someone couldn’t be trusted. And worse, someone took Rodney. He had no idea how deep this betrayal went, whether the car service was compromised or if the driver that picked up Rodney was taken with him or worse. 

“Here, John.” Teyla pointed the warehouse out when John got close. Rather than stop John slowed and they had a good look at the front of the building first. Teyla noted that it did not appear to be in regular use, at least from the outside. There were a couple of broken windows and the usual graffiti that lingered on buildings where no one was around or didn’t care enough about the property to clean it up. John drove past and turned into an alley that paralleled the building, situated between the warehouse and the building next to it. It led to an alley that ran behind the buildings and John stopped when he saw a small roll up metal door that was open. It wasn’t large enough for a truck but a car would fit easily enough. John drove past it while Teyla tried to peer into the darkened interior. Parking behind the next building John put the car in park. “Put your phone on silent.” He ordered as he left the car. 

They kept close to the building as they crept towards the open door. John had his gun in his hand as did Teyla. The alley was quiet, the only vehicles parked on it were quite a ways down towards the end of it. As they neared the door, John raised his gun. He wished it weren’t so dark because if there was a chance Rodney was in there he couldn’t shoot anyone until he could see clearly. 

Listening for any activity first he slowly peered around and into the darkened interior. As his eyes became adjusted to the low light inside he could see that it was largely empty. Hating the thought of entering an unknown situation he didn’t see much choice. If Rodney was there, he was going in. He silently gave a hand signal to Teyla to watch the right side of the warehouse as they entered. On the right wall was what looked like an office with a door and a window that looked out into the ground floor. In the corner to the left was a stairwell that led to the upper floor and John kept his eyes on it as he crept slowly into the building. 

They were met with silence and while it had the appearance of being empty John wanted to check the perimeter first. He waved Teyla towards the office and together they moved around the interior in opposite directions. John aimed and peered up the stairs, pausing but hearing nothing. Similarly, Teyla edged to the door of the office and, leading with her sidearm, opened the office door. A visual search of the office obviously contained no one as John saw Teyla withdraw and silently shake her head at John. 

John waved Teyla over to his location and indicated the stairs as their next search. Making their way as quietly as they could up a creaking staircase John took the lead as they reached the top. The room was open and empty. A table and chairs took up the center and a long table containing a coffee pot and microwave was set against the wall. A door open to a bathroom was the only other room. 

“I will keep an eye on the downstairs entrance while you search this room, John.” 

Nodding and securing his weapon, John was thankful Teyla had her wits about her while he felt like he was running on pure emotion and adrenaline. A quick search of the room revealed nothing. No personal items lying around and the coffee pot was cold. No one had been up here in a while. 

As he made his way down the stairs he saw Teyla crouched down looking at something near the roll up door. John skirted the center of the floor and came up next to her. 

“Tire tracks.” She said as she pointed their imprint in the light dust on the floor. The dust on the floor had also been disturbed in several places and a second set of tire tracks were also lightly visible. It wasn’t enough to go on but John was glad to see Teyla had her phone out and was taking photos. 

Pulling his phone out John checked to see if the signal from Rodney’s phone had changed. It was still pinging only now John’s was pinging in the same location. 

“Where are you, Rodney?” John’s eyes lit on the office door and he made his way across the warehouse towards it. Teyla had already checked that it was unoccupied but as John opened the door he saw a desk. She hadn’t had the time to search through it in their initial re-con so John moved around and shoved the chair out of the way. The top middle drawer didn’t contain any helpful information. No letterhead, no paperwork that indicated what the warehouse was used for, just a few pens, some blank envelopes and generic office supplies and John shoved it closed with force. He opened the top drawer on the right just as Teyla moved into the room. 

“John? What is it?”

John was staring down into the drawer and Teyla watched him slowly reach in and pull something out. 

Rodney’s phone. 

It occurred to John too late that there could be fingerprints on it that they could utilize and he moved to set it on the desk thinking to put it in one of the envelopes. Then his own phone vibrated.

“Sheppard.” He answered. Caller ID showed that it was Radek.

_”Simpson knows something.”_

John’s eyes grew dark and he looked at Teyla. “We’ll be right there.”

 

*~*

His head turned toward the sound when the door finally opened. He tensed for what might happen next and he both hoped and was afraid to finally have some answers. He could hear more than one set of steps, the movement indicating that there was more than one person in the room. Someone stopped next to him and Rodney felt a hard toe push into his chest, shoving him from his side to lying on his bound hands. Anticipating a kick or a blow he tried to move back onto his side hoping to curl in and protect himself as much as he could. This position left him feeling too vulnerable by far. Instead of a blow the steps moved away from him. Hands pulled him up from his position on the floor and he was once again being dragged. It was a short distance this time and he was thankful when they allowed him to stand. His equilibrium was thrown when he was pushed down and he was almost embarrassed by the squeak he made around the gag but instead of a damaging fall to the hard floor he found himself landing hard on a chair. He felt something go around his chest and realized they were tying his upper torso to the chair back. When hands moved to remove the blindfold he panicked. Seeing his captors meant there was a very good chance he wasn’t going to come out of this alive and he turned his head and squeezed his eyes shut when the fabric came away. He was breathing hard around the gag again and he dropped his head to his chest. 

“You didn’t pant this hard the last time I had you restrained… Rodney”

His eyes flew open and his head snapped up at the same time his mind formed the thought; _’No!’_ As he blinked, the blur in front of him slowly coalesced into a sharp view of the man at the center of his nightmares. 

Kolya.

The man was smirking at him from his seat behind the desk and Rodney’s mind flew in so many different directions it made him dizzy. He looked wildly around the room noticing the lack of windows, the two doors and the two men on either side of his chair. 

_’No no no no..’_ he thought. _’Not him, please not Kolya…’_ Visions of the men behind him holding him down while he was raped flew through his head. Memories of being forced to sign a contract for Kolya’s brothel, on his knees while men bargained for his virgin ass assaulted Rodney and he instinctively fought against the ropes. 

“Hold him.” Kolya ordered and the goon on his right moved behind the chair and held his shoulders keeping him from tipping the chair. His eyes narrowed at Kolya and he tried to demand answers through the gag, tried to shove out of the hold on him. He got no where of course but anger felt better than fear and despair and he gave himself to it gratefully. 

“Calm down Rodney or we wont get a thing done today.” Kolya stood and reached behind him, hitching up his suit coat and pulling the stunner out of the waistband at his back. 

Rodney stopped fighting.

“An interesting weapon you’ve created.” Kolya turned it over in his hands and settled his hip against the desk. “Had I known you had talents other than spreading your legs and opening your mouth for my clients I would have utilized them while you were under my contract.” Setting the stunner on the desk Kolya moved to the front and sat against the edge and folded his arms. 

“Here’s what I want from you. As you can tell I have someone on the inside of Atlantis and you will tell me where my contact can access the specs for this weapon. Atlantis will withdraw its pending patent and my company, Geni Corp will then produce it.” Kolya just smiled when Rodney shook his head and reached back to pick the stunner up. “I’m told this is the only one in production, tell me though, have you tried to see what multiple stuns will do to a person?” He paused and looked down at Rodney smiling when he saw the color fade from his captive’s face. “You had to have tested it, who was your little lab rat Rodney? The little mousy… what is his name.. Radek? Or maybe the cute little scientist with the attitude, what is her name… Micha? Miko?” Kolya smiled at the confusion on Rodney’s face. “You want to know who my contact is, don’t you.” He said as he leaned in and pushed into Rodney’s space. 

Having no where to go Rodney just glared at the man and Kolya finally laughed and moved away. 

“Remove the gag.” 

His jaw ached and he worked it open and closed a few times now that the knot was gone. He wasn’t even offered water so his first attempt at cursing Kolya made no sense to anyone but Rodney. Saliva finally made it easier to talk.

“I’m not giving you shit, Kolya.” Rodney knew his voice was shaky and not as convincing as he wanted to sound but he had to hold out and give John a chance to rescue him. And he desperately wanted to know who had betrayed them. 

Kolya didn’t seem surprised, merely raised his eyebrows. “Oh I think you will in time.” The door off to the side opened and Kolya waved someone over before pointing the stunner at Rodney. Panic set in and he watched Kolya with wide eyes. When the blast didn’t come right away he glanced up at the person who had come in to the room and stood off to his left. Kolya gave him a moment to recognize his brother before the stun hit him.

*~*

 

John let Teyla drive them back to the office. Rodney’s phone was in an envelope and secure in his pocket. He would set Cadman to checking it for finger prints, tampering and any clues. Radek was still on the other line giving John the information he had.

 _’Simpson swiped card yesterday as did Rodney, Lee and I for the tech room.’_ Radek explained as John and Teyla hurried back to the office. _’Simpson’s was the last swipe but someone attempted to delete that swipe from computer.’_ Radek’s voice was low as if he were afraid of being overheard and John hoped he was in a safe location. Not knowing who may be involved in the betrayal he knew they all needed to be careful who they trusted with the knowledge of what was happening. 

“Radek, where are you?” 

_’Am in my office. I swept for bugs before calling.’_

“Teyla and I are ten minutes out. Meet us at my office in 15.” 

_’John you should know… Simpson was expected to be in the board meeting today with Rodney and I. We all dress for such meetings. She came dressed as if there were no meeting. Was very unusual for her, vain and self-important as she usually is.’_ Radek paused and it sounded like he was shifting the phone from one hand to the other. _’She did not even make token attempt to attend aborted meeting. She may even know where Rodney is. I never trusted her.’_ he added. John understood that. Rodney tolerated her because of her skill set but he often complained to John about her constantly trying to insinuate herself into his more classified projects. Even to the point of hitting on Rodney and attempting to seduce him in the lab. John had laughed at Rodney’s re-telling of his rejection including many curse words and the phrase _‘..so barking up the wrong tree..’_

“I’ll see you soon” John ended the call and stared out the window as Teyla drove.

“We will find him, John.” 

John was glad for his dark sunglasses at that moment. The emotions running through him right now threatened to spill out but he couldn’t afford to lose control. He had to be strong for Rodney. And for the company, they had a breech that needed fixing. He didn’t like not knowing who he could trust but he was sure of Teyla and Radek. Lee didn’t strike him as the type that could pull corporate espionage off. He was just a little too soft, brilliant as he was for Rodney didn’t hire idiots and there was the family aspect. The man was all about family and John just couldn’t imagine Bill Lee hurting anyone. Simpson however, there was an air of rivalry there with that woman. Not that Rodney felt she was a rival but Simpson certainly did. More than once she’d come to John complaining about some slight she felt Rodney had dealt her and John just laughed and sent her back to ‘play nice’ with the man who was her boss. He could definitely see Simpson as someone who could betray Rodney and the company this way. Cadman came to mind just then but John had known her for years and trusted her with Rodney’s department. While Simpson he could see betraying them for money or the promise of something bigger, he didn’t think Laura could be bought like that. And there was the fact that she was dating Carson, his good friend who worked as the house physician for Elizabeth at the Establishment. No, Laura wouldn’t be bought but could she be coerced? Threatened into working for someone? 

As Teyla was pulling into the parking garage John made a quick call to Carson’s cell. Without telling him what was going on, he had a quick conversation designed to flesh out if he sounded compromised or not. John had to admit, Carson sounded quite normal and he ended the call with a promise to get together with him and Cadman soon. Teyla parked and they headed to the elevator that would take him to the reception area near his office. 

Radek was waiting for them, his suit a little more rumpled that it was that morning and his normally wild hair which was slicked back for the meeting was back to sticking up. He had obviously been worried and the laptop in his hands told John that he may have found some information.

The first thing John did was send a message canceling the board meeting and have his secretary reschedule for the following week. The second thing he did, as Radek was booting his laptop up, was connect to his home security cameras. With Teyla looking over his shoulder they first flipped through each one, noting the gardener in the yard at the back of the house, panning it to scan the wall surrounding the yard and then moved on to the front of the house and gate. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Moving to the inside camera’s the housekeeper was vacuuming and the kitchen staff appeared to be prepping for dinner, there were grocery bags on the island.  
John didn’t have camera’s inside the master suite or their shared office but there were cameras placed in the hallway just outside. Both doors were open and neither room appeared to be compromised. 

“John, pull up the footage of the front of the house at the time the car service would have arrived for Rodney.” Teyla laid a sympathetic hand on John’s shoulder.

The footage showed Rodney pacing a bit by the circular drive and the time stamp showed why. The car had been late. 

“Radek, you said Rodney told you he would be late? What time was that?” Radek pulled his phone out and navigated to the text Rodney sent and handed John his phone. It made sense that Rodney would send the message to just Radek as he hadn’t expected to see John until the meeting. As he read the time stamp Teyla nudged him and indicated the screen. The car had arrived. John smiled as he watched Rodney convey his irritation to the driver and imagined the litany of complaints that he probably had heaped upon the man. They both squinted to see the face of the driver. 

“We should have Cadman look at this. She knows the auto pool pretty well.” John reached for his phone and for the first time realized that enough time had gone by that if someone had planned to demand a ransom from John, he probably would have heard by now. The realization that Rodney could be in a situation where they weren’t planning on involving John hit him in the gut like an icy fist. _’Please be ok, please be ok…’_ The mantra was cycling through his head right now as he sent Laura a text to meet them in his office. 

Freezing the screen with Rodney and the driver on it, John turned to Teyla. “Head down to the auto pool and see if there were any scheduling conflicts today; anyone who was supposed to show up but didn’t.” A check of his watch as Teyla left the office, showed it was well after lunch now and John turned his attention to Radek.

“Show me what you’ve got, Radek.”

 

*~*

The first thing he noticed as he slowly woke was that his hand was near his face and his face was lying on the cold floor. _’Not tied up?’_ he thought and the way his arms were aching he was grateful for that. The buzzing was there, just like last time but he was able to move so he rolled to his back. No gag and no blindfold either, his eyes connected with the fluorescent light and then the memory hit him. His brother. He saw Calvin walk in the room just before Kolya stunned him again. Rodney groaned and moved to sit up scooting to where he could lean against the wall. Considering the last contact he had with his brother, where he had bought Rodney’s debts and then threatened to ruin him and take his niece away from their sister if he didn’t sign the contract with Kolya’s brothel, he seriously doubted he could expect any help from him. The question was… what was his role in all this and would he really go so far as to allow his own brother kidnapped and possibly worse? 

Leaning against the cinder block wall, he studied his surroundings. It was a small room and had no windows. A single fluorescent light in the middle of the ceiling; a dome camera in the corner. Well they would know he was awake then. Another door was slightly ajar and showed what looked like a sink. _’A bathroom?’_ At that thought Rodney’s bladder woke up and he moved to stand, hoping that it was and he wouldn’t be forced to pee in the corner. 

It was a small bathroom with a toilet and sink and Rodney quickly made use of both. He drank from the faucet as the gag had caused his mouth to dry and they hadn’t offered him any water. There was no mirror and while the side of his face hurt, he wasn’t able to see how bruised it was from being dropped onto the floor or hauled in and out of the trunk. His wrists were raw and had bled a bit and he still felt off from the two stunner blasts he’d taken. Looking at his wrists he noticed he wasn’t wearing his suit jacket and his tie was missing. Had they used his own tie to gag him? He hadn’t looked closely at it but it made sense. He remembered taking his jacket off in the car, intending to put it back on when he reached the office. That made Rodney hopeful, perhaps it would help John find him. A quick search of his pockets came up empty. No phone and his wallet was missing, as was his watch. 

He knew the door would be locked but he tried it anyway and then a quick circuit of the room gave him no indication if he was still in the same building they’d dragged him into or if he was somewhere else. Based on how long he knew the stun from the weapon to work, Kolya and his goons had to have had him for several hours. _’John must be going crazy.’_ he thought sadly but he also knew that John would be looking for him. Probably with Teyla and he knew neither one would stop until they either found him or his body. That thought sent a cold shiver through him. His heart ached at the thought of John finding his body rather than finding him alive. He had to survive this because as much as Rodney needed John, he knew that John needed him as well. Pulling his arms around himself and sliding down the wall to the ground at the furthest point from the door there was nothing to do but wait. 

It wasn’t long before he heard a key in the door and his head snapped up. Kolya trained the stunner at him as the two men from their last encounter entered the room behind him. 

“Stand up McKay.” Kolya ordered as Rodney was flanked by his goons. Before he could even make the attempt they grabbed his arms and hauled him up. Kolya tossed something to one of the men and Rodney recognized it as his own tie, sans the knot. He was yanked around to face the wall, pushed against it and his arms were pulled behind his back.

“That’s a $200 Armani tie you know” Rodney snapped over his shoulder trying for a little bravado as they tied his hands again. 

Kolya just smirked and stepped out leaving the two Rodney had mentally named Goon 1 and Goon 2 to pull him along after. At least they were letting him walk on his own. He recognized the first room he’d been in. So he hadn’t gone far. _’Good.’_ he thought, _’Staying in one place would help John find me quicker than being moved around.’_

They sat him back down in the same chair and then flanked him rather than tying him to the chair itself. Kolya was at the desk and settled back in his chair as if he were in a meeting. 

“My contact within Atlantis has been unable to ferret out the specs for the stun weapon.” 

Rodney scowled at Kolya and remained silent while his mind churned around who the betrayal could have come from. He knew it couldn’t have been Miko or Radek because Radek had access to the plans and Miko was an above average hacker and could have found them on Rodney’s system if she really wanted to. 

“Apparently I’m going to have to seriously hurt someone you care about, Rodney. Who shall it be, hmm?” Kolya plucked his phone out of his suit coat and began thumbing through it. 

“According to my source, little Miko is off on maternity leave.” Kolya’s eyes moved up to judge Rodney’s reaction. They were cold and pure evil and Rodney’s stomach clenched in horror at something happening to Miko and her baby because of him.

“Your Dr. Lee has a family I understand. Aren’t his daughters in school right about now? And Radek drives in to work doesn’t he? A well placed car bomb could do some damage to the building as well, I think. And rumor has it that you’ve spent a night or two in Dr. Simpson’s bed.” Kolya cocked his head and studied Rodney’s expressions.

“And here I thought you’d decided to keep riding on John Sheppard after he bought your ass at my brothel. Need a little bit of pussy once in a while Rodney? Tired of not having a place to stick your cock? Sheppard strikes me as a man who likes to top maybe you were getting tired of being bent over and pounded every night.” 

Refusing to rise to the bait Rodney just seethed and stared daggers at the man. He’d never hated anyone like he hated Kolya. The man just smirked and sat back in his chair. 

“Or could one of them be on my payroll? I know you desperately want to know who would turn on you to me…. Or did I plant someone in your department once I found out Sheppard had not only bought himself a fuck toy but a genius engineer who would make his company billions, as if John Sheppard needed any more money.” Kolya sneered the last statement and tossed his phone on the desk as he sat back. 

Rodney heard the door open behind him but he kept his eyes on Kolya, his anger visible and almost a separate entity in the room.

“Report.” 

Rodney’s own brother moved into his line of sight just then. “I wasn’t able to retrieve the phone, Sir. Sheppard and his security detail beat me to it.” 

“You idiot!” Kolya stood and began pacing. “That phone was supposed to divert Sheppard when Russia stepped in. How could you be so careless!” Moving towards Calvin, Kolya was in his face with a handful of the man’s shirt in his fist. “You managed to kidnap him but you were stupid enough to leave his phone at the warehouse?” 

“Wait!” Rodney started to rise but the goons pressed him back down. “You’re selling technology to Russia?! Are you out of your mind!” Rodney looked between his brother and Kolya, who had released Calvin and went back to his desk to retrieve his phone. “How could you do this! Calvin, you’re my brother! This could get us all killed!”

“No, Dr. McKay, I am not selling the tech to Russia.” Kolya, still visibly angry, sat back down behind his desk and ran his hand over his face before leveling his gaze at Rodney. 

“Once I have what I want… I’m selling you to them.” 

Shocked to the core, Rodney couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What? You… how can… you can’t do that.” The last statement came out as a whisper and he tried to catch his breath. 

“Oh I can. You and Sheppard cost me a great deal when you had my business at The Establishment shut down. I’d originally planned to kill you both but this…” Kolya smiled at Rodney’s obvious distress. “This will work out so much better. You both lose each other and get to live with the misery of it.” 

Kolya stood and moved around the desk and behind Calvin stopping to issue an order… “Get it out of him.” ..before striding out the door. 

Rodney was looking at his brother with wide eyes and a look as if he were seeing him for the first time. “Calvin… don’t do this. Please… you’re my brother..” 

“I’M NOT YOUR BROTHER!” The look of hatred on Calvin’s face was one Rodney had seen in the past. When they were kids Calvin would be deliberately mean at times. At first Rodney would tell on him and Calvin would be punished but when it became evident that his brother would retaliate if Rodney told on him, he simply stopped bringing his brother’s behavior to their parents attention and just dealt with it. If Calvin picked on their little sister Rodney would do what he could to focus the boy’s anger on him instead. It was how he grew up and so he just dealt with it. It was as an adult that he began to realize that there was either something wrong with Calvin or he simply hated his two siblings that much. Then when he threatened Jeannie and forced him to sign that disgusting contract for Kolya he knew without a doubt that they would never have a normal sibling relationship.

 

“What do you mean you’re not my brother?” The ropes were digging into his wrists and struggled against them enough to attempt encourage blood flow. The goons reminded him that they were still there as hands clamped down on his shoulders again. “We grew up together! I was there! If you’re not my brother what were you, the family cat?” 

Rounding on him, Calvin moved so far into his space that he damned near tipped the chair he was in over.

“No, I was the stray! Just like that dog you got from the shelter when you were 8!” Calvin turned away and ran his hand over his face before turning back. “I heard them talking one night. About how my _biological father_..” Calvin spat out in disgust “.. Was a drunk. How my real mom died and how much of a burden I was since they couldn’t give me back to him.” 

Rodney was dumbfounded at the revelation but it was slowly starting to make sense. His childhood, the way his parents doted on him and Jeannie but were so strict with Calvin. Rodney always thought it was because Calvin was the oldest. That his parents expected him to be more of a good example for his younger brother and sister than Calvin always seemed to be. 

“And you…” Calvin sneered as he dropped down into Kolya’s desk chair. “You with your good grades, and graduating early. And Jeannie was no better… both of you always showing me up. And that business deal you warned me about? I was almost bankrupted! You always have to show how much smarter you are than everyone!” Calvin paused to level a look of pure hatred at Rodney. Rodney had gone still at the revelation, almost forgetting his hands were tied behind his back and Kolya had just threatened people he cared about. 

“You couldn’t even be humiliated without coming out on top, could you? No, you had to seduce Sheppard into taking you in and making you head of Research and Development for the largest company on the west coast. He must have really gotten off on buying your virgin ass, is that why he keeps you around? Fantasy material?” Calvin stood and shoved the chair away so hard it crashed into the wall before walking around the desk. Looking from one of Kolya’s goons to the other he said, “Get him up and hold him.”

Rodney knew, deep down, that appealing to Calvin as his brother, the brother he thought he knew, would not work but he wasn’t ready for things to go down this way. “Don’t, Calvin, please! I didn’t know… I had no way of knowing… you were my brother my whole life, please don’t do this!” 

The punch that came first was more of an emotional hurt to his heart than to his gut and Rodney struggled to catch his breath. 

“Where are the plans for the weapon, McKay!” Calvin moved in and pulled his head up by his hair. “You think you know me? You think I won’t do what I need to get that information out of you? You don’t even know who I really am. They never even legally adopted me or changed my name!” he yelled.

The backhand that came next brought tears to his eyes and split his lip. He could feel the blood dripping down his chin. Two more punches to the stomach and he wasn’t even standing on his own feet. 

“Let him go.” 

Dropped to the floor, Calvin loomed over him. “No, Rodney. My last name isn’t McKay. I am not your brother and I don’t give a rats ass whether you live or whether Kolya sells you off to Russians. As far as I’m concerned as long as you lose everything you have I don’t care if you live as a slave working for Vlad. I’ve met him and he’s not a nice guy.” Calvin smirked down at him as curved his body around his aching stomach and fought against the ropes on his hands. “He’s definitely no John Sheppard although he may still pound your ass from time to time.” 

Dropping down into a tailor’s crouch in front of Rodney Calvin gripped Rodney’s chin and forced him to meet his gaze. “But if you tell me where we can find the specs… I might be able to convince Kolya to keep you around just a little bit longer… delay the inevitable.” 

He gave Rodney a minute to process the demand and consider the deal and Rodney’s mind was certainly reeling. He was a smart man and the speed with which Rodney weighed his options was the same as if he were working out a difficult math problem. He could refuse and get seriously hurt or he could give them what they wanted and hope to delay long enough for rescue. 

Rodney told Calvin where the specs were hidden on his private server at the lab. 

With a smile and a mock pat on the side of the face Calvin ordered Kolya’s men to haul him up. 

“Lock him back up until we can find out if he’s telling us the truth.” He turned and started towards the door until he heard Rodney call his name and he turned back.

“I really don’t know who you are… do I?” 

There was no pity in the look Calvin gave Rodney as he stood there, held up by Kolya’s men, bent over his aching midsection and blood still oozing from his cut lip.

“Calvin Kavanaugh.” He said with a mock salute. “Nice doing business with you McKay.” 

 

*~*

 

It was nearing dark and there was still no call. No ransom demand and no word from Rodney or whomever took him. John was at a loss and it wasn’t a feeling he was used to. Between Teyla and Laura they’d learned that the request for a car to pick up Rodney that morning had been canceled by an unknown person. At that news, John copied the security footage from his front camera and gave it to Laura to go over. While she was working on that, Radek outlined to John and Teyla his suspicions of Simpson. 

“As I said, Simpson obviously did not plan to attend board meeting today. She was in lab this morning and once I suspected she may know something I put bugs on her computer and I have bugged the labs as well.” 

Pushing his glasses up further on his face he looked up from the computer screen. “In my opinion, we watch her and see if she is contacted by someone outside.” Pulling up a different screen Radek showed the pair what he and Laura were able to find about her last card swipe in the lab the previous night. 

“See here…” he said pointing to the screen. “She attempted to remove her card swipe into the tech room.” 

At that point Miko came in, laptop under one arm and the other over her 8 month pregnant belly and was cursing in her own native language as she moved to commandeer a side desk in John’s office. Not only did John want her expertise in trapping Simpson, should she be the guilty party but he wanted her safely in the building just in case. If someone took Rodney for information on technology they were developing then both Miko and Radek were at risk as well. 

Radek ceased his explanation and moved to set up his second laptop next to Miko’s and between the two of them they had accessed the security camera’s already in place as well as the bugs Radek hid in the lab and at Simpson’s desk. John fell in love just a little bit as the little pregnant engineer plunked a pair of headphones over her head and demanded that someone bring her a bottle of water as she began intently monitoring the surveillance set up. 

John moved to the window of his office and leaned his head against it while Rodney’s team went to work. Pulling his cell phone out he dialed his contact at the FBI. With corporate espionage a distinct possibility he was going to have to involve them at some point. A quick explanation and Evan Lorne was clearing his desk and on his way to Atlantis Corp to meet with John. 

A cup of coffee came into view and John took it gratefully from Teyla.

“We will find him John.” She soothed as she stroked his arm. “They will want him alive. You have to hold onto that thought.”

“He’s not trained for something like this, Teyla.” John looked down at her with a sad expression that was so heartbreaking Teyla’s breath caught at the sight. “If they hurt him enough that he gives them what they want…” John trailed off.

“Then they will need someone here in the company to obtain it for them John and there is enough evidence against Simpson that we can catch her before she communicates with his captors. We will force her to reveal what she knows of Rodney’s whereabouts. I am sure of it.”

“Thank you Teyla, I just…” Radek snapping his fingers stopped him and he moved to where Miko was listening intently before reaching over Radek to pull up a screen on his computer. Radek immediately began watching the screen before him. From where John was standing he didn’t see Radek type anything or use the mouse pad but the screen was showing activity as if someone were.

“What is it? What have you got?” 

Radek answered without looking up from the screen. “Simpson is accessing Rodney’s private server where schematics for stun weapon are kept.” A few more seconds and Radek began to work. “I am blocking her attempts. She will think she is hitting firewall and try again. Sir, is time to detain her I think.” Radek began mumbling in his native Czech as he and Miko worked to thwart Simpson’s attempt to gain access. 

John and Teyla moved fast with Teyla calling Laura who was in the area of the labs. Simpson couldn’t be allowed to leave the labs let alone the building. Finally, John would have answers. 

 

*~*

Back in the locked room, Rodney had cleaned his face as best he could without being able to see it. Calvin’s revelation and admitted role in this had thrown him for a loop. It had been hours and he was beginning to feel lightheaded since they hadn’t seen fit to feed him anything and it had been a long time since breakfast. He was back to sitting against the wall and had his knees pulled up and his arms wrapped around them as he began to shake. All he could hope for was that someone would think to keep an eye out for any attempts to hack into an area they had no business in. Someone had to notice the missing stun weapon by now. 

_‘Please John, find me…’_ he thought. Once Kolya handed him off to someone else and if they took him out of the country, rescue would be nearly impossible. 

Sooner than he expected the door opened and Kolya flung a fast food bag at him.

“Eat. You have a plane to catch.” Kolya smirked down at him before closing the door and locking him in again. 

Hands shaking Rodney pulled a burger out and unwrapped it. A plane. He almost couldn’t stomach the thought of eating at hearing that but he knew he needed the food. He would need to be clear headed if there was any chance at escaping. 

He ate the burger without tasting it.

*~*

They had Simpson dead to rights. She was still attempting to access Rodney’s server when John and Teyla entered the lab with Cadman on their heels. John couldn’t trust himself to touch her so Teyla and Cadman hauled her up and had her handcuffed before she knew what was happening. Cadman was going through her phone and Teyla was questioning her as John brought Lorne and his partner into the lab. 

“… and Kolya said he wouldn’t hurt..” 

**“What?!?”** John roared and rounded on her. Gripping her arms he hauled her up and shook her until Teyla intervened. 

“John!” She pulled at Simpson attempting to separate her from John’s wrath. Other than Carson, Teyla was the only other person who knew what Kolya had done to Rodney and she knew where John’s anger could take him if Simpson had helped Kolya get his hands on Rodney.

Seeing the absolute hatred in John’s eyes terrified her and Simpson didn’t hold anything back. Even as she rambled her confession Lorne was reading Simpson her rights and asking if she understood them. 

“Sir, her phone just received a text with drop off instructions.” Cadman held the phone out towards John and Lorne. It was John who grabbed it. 

“Hartland Field.” He read as Lorne leaned in to see for himself. John looked at Simpson after reading the rest of the message. “He says you can expect to rise to Rodney’s position after tonight.” John’s voice was eerily calm. “I thought you said Kolya wouldn’t hurt him. That he just wanted the stun weapon.” John looked from the phone in his hand back to Simpson. “Any idea what he means by that?”

Held up by Teyla, Simpson shrunk back against her. “He said he wouldn’t kill him. He promised.” She said in a small timid voice. “There was a man who wanted Rodney to work for him. That’s all.” She pleaded. 

It was John himself who stopped the rise of his hand. As much as he wanted to slap her unconscious he just couldn’t bring himself to actually hit her. Not one person in the room moved to stop him and if that didn’t show Simpson where she stood then she was truly clueless as to her role in the days events. 

 

“Ok, Hartland Field…” John started before being interrupted by Lorne.

“We take over from here John.” Evan’s partner had Simpson in hand and was leading her out as Evan was dialing his phone. 

“If you think I’m not coming along then you don’t know me at all, Lorne.” John used Simpson's phone to text back that ‘she’ had the files and would meet him there. 

“Fine, but you let my guys do their job, got it?” This was directed at both John and Teyla since he knew there was a hell of a chance at stopping either from helping rescue Rodney.

Teyla pulled her sidearm out to check it. “Of course, Evan.”

*~*

It was dark. And why was the floor moving? Rodney slowly woke to the realization that he’d been stunned yet again and was most likely back in the trunk of the car. Trying to move told him his hands were tied behind his back and he was blindfolded and gagged again. Surprisingly his feet felt as if they were left free. His last memory was Kolya giving him something to eat and something about a plane. 

_‘Oh no!’_ Kolya was handing him over to someone else. In his panic he struggled against the ropes and kicked his feet at the interior of the vehicle. Whoever was driving hit the brakes hard and he was propelled forward with no way to stop himself, his head connecting with the back of the trunk hard enough to daze him for a bit. 

 

Car doors slammed and muted voices were heard. Rodney resumed his kicking of the trunk, hoping someone in a position to rescue him would hear. The trunk opened just then and he was hauled out by his bound arms. Someone pushed him to his knees on a hard concrete floor and he paused his struggling in favor of catching his breath. 

“Here he is, Vlad.” He heard Kolya say as someone yanked his head back by his hair. “I recommend the gag remain, at least until you’re well in the air. Sometimes he never shuts up.” 

Kolya chuckled at the growl sound that Rodney made through the gag as he attempted to pull away from Kolya’s hand. 

To his right a new voice and another hand grabbed his chin and forced his head towards the newcomer. “Your money, Kolya.” The sound of a bag hitting the ground nearby startled Rodney. _’Holy shit! Kolya really was selling him to someone!’_ He jerked his head to the left as more footsteps moved towards him. 

“I’ll be sure to tell Jeannie you’ll miss her.” Rodney could hear the sneer in Calvin’s voice. “Maybe I’ll send her the occasional post card from her saying ‘wish you were here’” 

Rodney was shaking with a combination of rage and fear. This just couldn’t be happening. His mind went to John and he held on to the last image he had of him in his mind. The last kiss John placed on his lips. The way he felt waking up in his arms this morning.

It was then that everything turned to chaos around him. 

“McKay! Down!” Someone yelled and even as one of his captors had hold of his arm Rodney flung himself down to the ground. There was gunfire above him and the sound of bodies hitting the ground. Unable to do anything and knowing that even if he could get to his feet he had no idea where he was or the layout of the location. The sound of a jet engine increased just as he heard glass breaking and Rodney curled in on himself and hoped like hell John would be ok. 

Then silence. The sound of a plane engine powering down. Footsteps moving towards him and his own breathing. And then hands were on him, pulling him up and yanking at the gag and blindfold. He knew those hands well and knew that John was there. John had him. 

“John!” His voice coarse from the gag and the stun weapon and his hands still in their ropes he fell into John as John caught him. Hands were moving over him, checking for injuries and then John had his face in his hands and was looking intently at him. His eyes roaming over his as if to assure himself that he was alive. 

“I knew you’d come. I knew..” John silenced him with a kiss and Rodney melted into it. 

Lorne and his FBI team were scouring the hangar the rescue went down in but they left the two men to their reunion. No one noticed the body moving just a few feet away. 

“Well isn’t this touching.” Kolya’s voice rasped and they saw the gun he’d managed to grab. He was still on the ground and bleeding with blood coming out his mouth. From his wounds John could see that he wouldn’t survive but he was alert enough to pull the trigger and though they were both on the ground as well, John instantly moved to position himself between Kolya and Rodney just as Kolya pulled the trigger. 

The empty chamber echoed in the hangar and Kolya looked at the gun in his hand as if surprised that he didn’t get his final revenge. The gun slipped from his hand slowly as John locked eyes with the dying man, watching as his life slipped away. 

“I win.” He said pulling Rodney back to him as they watched Kolya still and his eyes dull. 

“I win.” John repeated as he buried his face against Rodney’s neck. Both were breathing hard and were completely unaware of the activity around them as someone, finally, kicked the gun away from what they hoped was now a very dead Kolya. 

“It’s ok.” Rodney said trying to calm both John and himself as the adrenaline subsided and John clutched him to his chest. “I’m ok. You got here in time. I’m ok, John. He’s dead.” 

When John pulled away and looked into his eyes again, Rodney could see the toll the day had taken on him and his heart constricted. “Um, could you untie me?” 

John smiled and kissed his cheek. “Yeah, McKay. I could do that.” 

*~*

Epilogue to follow.... :)

**Author's Note:**

> There is an epilogue coming. :)


End file.
